Industrial rotatable cylinder ironing machines, as exemplified and discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,151,408 to Mazzolla, the instant applicant, have long been utilized in large scale industrial, commercial, and institutional laundry operations for the purpose of ironing bed linens, table cloths, towels, various articles of clothing such as uniforms or other garments, and the like. Although not specifically shown in the aforementioned patent to Mazzolla, the ironing cylinders of such machines may be equipped with vacuum means to further increase ironer efficiency by providing a reduced pressure environment in the ironing area of the machine so that when a water-damp work piece is passed between the vacuum cylinder and the chest of the ironer the heating effect of the ironer will more readily cause vaporization of the water as well as providing an effective means to withdraw and exhaust the water vapor away from the ironing area.
In order to effectively utilize the increased ironing efficiency capability provided by a vacuum cylinder ironing machine, it is necessary that the vacuum not only be operable within the cylinder shell, but also through the openings provided therein as well as through the cylinder pad and cover members to produce a reduced pressure environment in the ironing area of the machine.
The disclosure set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 1,468,557 to Cline, dated Sept. 18, 1923, teaches a rather complicated compressive type spring arrangement affixed to the surface of an ironing machine vacuum cylinder over which springs is wrapped a layer of wire gauze being thereafter covered by a layer of fabric padding around which is wrapped a woven fabric covering. There are no provisions, however, for heat reflective means about the cylinder surface, nor is the pad means disclosed in the patent to Cline of a type which would operationally enable an effective transmission of vacuum through said pad to the ironing area.
In another disclosure, as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 2,608,749 to Obitz, dated Sept. 2, 1952, there is shown an ironer pad which is provided with heat-reflecting means, but, however, the same is not adapted to be employed upon a vacuum cylinder.
It will become apparent, as hereinafter set forth and claimed, that the present invention is distinguishable from the disclosures heretofore cited in that the present invention has utility features and use characteristics which provide new and useful advantages and improvements neither taught nor anticipated by such prior art.